


The Blue Blanket

by Ayesha_Altugle



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Death mentioned, Emotional, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Forgiveness, Loss, Mentions of Death, Minor OC Death Mentioned, Non-Canon Relationship, Oneshot, Sadness, Short Story, Starting Over, alternative universe, mention of romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-26
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-04-28 02:50:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14439864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayesha_Altugle/pseuds/Ayesha_Altugle
Summary: In her own words, Petunia is old, old in mind and in body, and very lonely. She is depressed. When Harry's wife Ginny is put in the hospital, he asks for some unlikely people to be there. His aunt and cousin Dudley. A long time has passed and both Harry and Petunia are ready to try and salvage whatever might be left of their family.





	The Blue Blanket

**Author's Note:**

> So Petunia… do you think she is redeemable? Do you think she’d be different in old age? I found a challenge to write a story with Petunia paired with someone else. I do not want to go the obvious route and pair her with Vernon, because I believe he is toxic and their relationship is toxic. He really egged on Petunia’s jealousy of his sister and hate of magic and the magical world. Without him, would she have been different? This turned into much more than the challenge to put her with a romantic partner.
> 
> I’m guessing about some of the timeline, like the year Dudley got married and had children. The fandom wiki said he had his children between 1998 (the year of the Hogwarts Battle) and 2017, so a pretty wide range! Also there will be some non canon relationships at least mentioned.
> 
> I don’t know the exact age of everybody and I don’t think Dudley’s children were ever named, nor his wife’s name, so they will be made up. J.K. Rowling says that no magic would survive Vernon’s blood, so Dudley’s children would not be magical, but for the sake of this, I’m saying it is possible.

At the age of fifty, it had been many years since her family went into hiding, and since Harry set off for a battle she did not have all the details for. Petunia Dursley was a grandmother now, and a great aunt to Harry’s children. Her husband was gone. Vernon passed away from a heart attack five years ago. In her own words, she was old, old in mind and in body, and very alone. Petunia knew she had changed; the cold steel of her heart was melting. She wasted too long being bitter; it aged her further.

 _I’m depressed._ She looked down at a baby blue blanket she had been clutching in her frail hands. Harry arrived in this on her doorstep. _Why did I keep it?_ A tear was in her eyes. _We did wrong, Vernon. We did wrong._ Petunia wondered how she could have let her jealousy of her sister make her so cruel, so unfeeling toward an innocent child. _I never gave him the love of a mother figure, the love he deserved. Lily, I failed. He’s an adult now, I’m too afraid to even try to say sorry; what if he turns me away?_ She knew he would have every right to reject her.

A knock on her door brought her out of her thoughts. She stood up, shoving the blanket in her dresser. Petunia walked toward the living room and opened the door. She gasped, her eyes widening. _What are wizards doing here?_ Indeed, there were two men she was sure were wizards standing in front of her. _What is going on?  
_

“Mum.” That was Dudley. He was behind the tall wizards. Her son had grown up into a handsome 30 year old man. He wasn’t overweight anymore; thankfully he had not followed in his father’s footsteps. He was happily married to a sweet girl named Wendy and had two children, a daughter named Tabatha and a son named Samuel.

“I don’t understand, Dudley?”

Dudley and the two wizards walked inside.

“It’s Harry’s wife Ginny; she’s is having a hard labor with their 4th child and this may be it for her and Harry asked for you to be there. These men are to take us there.” Dudley put a hand on his forehead and sighed. “Mum, I know you wanted to see Harry, see his family, make amends...”

Petunia did not meet Dudley’s eye, though he wasn’t wrong. Instead, she looked at the wizards. “But what about your m-magic? Can’t you save the baby?” she asked, sucking in her breath. She would never wish this on anyone, even someone she did not like. Not that she disliked Harry’s wife, other than her prejudice toward wizards, she had no reason to not to like her. There was also the fact that she was done with this prejudice. She had really wanted so bad to be a witch at one point in her life.

“There are some things magic can not fix. Ginny and the baby’s survival depend on higher powers,” one of the wizards answered.

* * *

 

For the first time in their lives, Petunia and Dudley were in a wizarding building. It was the wizard hospital. They told her the name, but it was odd, so she had already forgotten it. She followed a serious looking nurse down the hallway, Dudley right behind her. His kids had been left with his wife.

Petunia walked into a room, seeing a sea of redheads. The Weasleys. There were also some other people she couldn’t place, whom she assumed were friends of Ginny. Ginny was very pale, breathing hard. Her eyes were closed.

Harry walked up to his aunt, saw that she was looking at Ginny and said softly. “She’s in a coma. There was a lot of blood loss and even with spells...” He trailed off, remembering how much his aunt hated to talk about magic. “My new baby, my daughter is gone.” He hung his head. In the room, Petunia could hear sobs.

She turned her gaze to her nephew. He had grown into a nice looking man. His eyes looked much older than his years. He was tired and troubled. Somehow Petunia understood that this was a man used to death and he was bracing himself for what he feared was inevitable with Ginny. He was not yet able to cry for his lost daughter.

“I-I...” Petunia never stuttered, but she was at a loss for words.

“It’s okay, Aunt Petunia. Just come over here and sit next to me. These are my children.” He pointed to 2 boys and 1 girl. “James, Albus and Lily.” James was 7 and looked a lot like his name sake, though Petunia did not have much memory of what the original James had looked like. Albus was 5 and like his little sister Lily who was 3, did not quite understand what was going on.

“Lily?” Petunia glanced at the little girl. She looked so much like the sister she remembered.

“Yes, I know. She looks just like my mom did as a child.” Harry set down. Petunia awkwardly set next to him.

Dudley hovered near his mother, not sure what to do.

“Dudley, you can sit down, too,” Harry said, conjuring a chair. To the muggles credit, neither one jumped at the sight of magic.

Everyone in the room set around, talking about things that the two muggles could only assume were magic related. Sometimes they caught themselves and switched over to a more neutral topic. There was awkward tension in the air.

* * *

“Do you mind if I sit down?”

Petunia looked up. She was in the cafeteria, needing some time away to gather her thoughts and feelings. A handsome blonde male was hovering near her. She recognized him from Ginny’s room, but forgot his name.

“That’s fine, Mr…?”

“Xenophilius Lovegood, at your service. You may call me Xeno if you prefer.” The wizard set down next to her. He didn’t speak for a time, and seemed to have an intelligence behind his eyes that even Petunia could recognize and found herself curious about.

Talk at first was stilted and awkward, but they soon found a comfortable balance and talked for a long while. Petunia learned a lot of things about Harry’s past, the war, even some unsavory things this man had had to do. Hearing about a world she could never be part of still left a bitter taste in the back of her throat, but she realized she was getting over it. Vernon’s influence being gone helped.

It was really unusual how these two were getting along. Something about them was clicking. Petunia even found herself laughing a few times. This man was odd, and even for wizard standards Petunia assumed, but she didn’t dislike him; no she was actually enjoying his company. He even flattered her a few times and if they weren’t in such a depressing setting, Petunia almost wondered if he was trying to flirt.

Dudley walked into the cafeteria and found his mother. “Mum, they’ve cleared everyone out of Ginny’s room. She woke up and a bunch of doctors are in with her.”

Wizard and muggle stood up. “Will she be okay?” Xenophilius asked. Petunia was grateful, because she was at a loss for words.

“They think so. It’s a good sign that she woke up.” Dudley coughed a bit, his cheeks reddening. “They’re doing some spells, I think.” It wasn’t everyday that the Dursley’s talked about magic, but they had to face up to magic sooner, rather than later, considering Tabatha Dursley, who had just turned 11, got a very shocking letter from Hogwarts.

* * *

Ginny was awake and with muggle and wizard medicine, she was physically doing fine, but mentally, she was broken. Even wizard medicine had trouble curing ailments of the mind. She had lost a child. Harry still hadn’t processed that he too had lost a child. He was busy caring for Ginny, making sure his children were being looked after, and visiting with Petunia and Dudley, two people he never thought would be in his life again, yet alone mixing into his magical world.

“Harry, Harry,” Petunia said, grabbing onto his hand as he was about to run out of Ginny’s hospital room. “You need to slow down.”

“I have to make sure Lily has her teddy bear. She gets nightmares.”

“You put it in her backpack, remember?” Petunia said softly. “She’ll be fine.”

“But I should remind Hermione that James is allergic to strawberries...” Harry tried to leave again, but Petunia stopped him.

“How long have these people been in your life and in your children’s lives?” Dudley asked.

“Since forever,” Harry replied.

“I’m sure your friend knows about the strawberries, besides it isn’t strawberry season.”

Harry slummed his shoulders. “Yeah, Hermione knows. She knows everything.”

“I know I’m the last person who should be giving you advice, Harry, and I don’t deserve to, but you need to take a step back and feel what you’re body is telling you to feel.” _We both do._

A tear slipped down Harry’s cheek. “I know. My daughter’s dead and Ginny’s like a shell of a person.” He glanced over at his wife. She was awake, her eyes were open, but there was no emotion behind them; she wasn’t moving.

“I’m so sorry!” Petunia cried out, and she meant it in more than one way, and somehow Harry understood. They hugged, and both cried freely. Dudley tried not to cry, but a few tears fell. He walked over to Ginny’s bed and set in the chair next to her.

“Hello, I’m the bully of a cousin Harry told you about. I mean if Harry ever mentioned me. I’m not a bully anymore, I mean I’ve grown up. I’ve got a wife and two children. Did Harry tell you? We’ve been sending Christmas cards for a couple years...”

Harry overheard Dudley. “The doctors said there isn’t anything physically wrong with her. She’s just shut down mentally, but she is in there. I know she has to be!”

* * *

 

 And Ginny was. She started to move of her own accord, but still didn’t speak or interact with other people. She did things like a walking zombie. It was progress though.

Weeks had passed, the funeral came and went, and people were going back to their normal lives, all except the Potter family.

“Harry, do you want me to take the kids again?” Hermione asked when she and Ron came over for a visit.

“You’ve already got your hands full with Rose and Hugo, but I appreciate the offer.”

“We don’t mind, really Harry,” Ron said. “You know I’m used to a full house.”

“A mad house, you mean?” Harry said, trying for some humor. His life hadn’t had much humor in the last month.

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_This owl showed up on my doorstep. You know what my last experience with owls was like, but I swallowed my fear and gave the bird what he wanted. To be honest, the bird came at a good time, because I was wanting to send you mail, but then I realized I had no idea if you could get regular mail. To top it off, I have no idea what your address is._

  _It has been three months since… well, you know._

  _I know you have your hands full with your children and looking after Ginny, so it might be an inconvenience to ask this, but if you are ever free, do you think you could stop by for a visit? I’ve got something for you._

  _Your aunt… no, love your aunt,_

_Petunia._

  _PS. Dudley’s daughter got a letter from Hogwarts. She starts in four weeks. As we’re clueless about magic (and we’re trying), do you think you could be with us on the day we send her off?_

 Harry closed the letter and smiled, it was the first smile, small, but still a smile, he had had since that day in the hospital.

 “Vernon is rolling over in his grave.”

* * *

 

 “Harry,” Petunia smiled, letting him into her home. “How is Ginny?”

“She’s doing a lot better. She’s making eye contact now and answering yes and no questions. Small progress, but any progress is good.”

 “I’m glad, and how are you?”

 “I’m...I’m coping. I’ve learned how to handle things like death.”

 Petunia shook her head. “It’s a horrible thing to be used to.”

 “I know, believe me, I know.” Harry walked around his aunts living room, stopping when he saw something very out of place on her coffee table. “Aunt Petunia! Where did you get that newspaper?” It was a copy of the Quibbler, the one where Xenophilius wrote the obituary of his daughter.

 “Oh? Xeno gave it to me.” There was an embarrassed flush on his aunt’s face.

 “You’re on nickname terms?”

 “He said everyone calls him that.”

 Harry chuckled, shaking his head. “Aunt Petunia, are you dating a wizard?”

 “Me? Dating at fifty? That’s absurd. We’re two old people enjoying each others company.”

 “Fifty isn’t old, but never mind that.”

 “Oh Harry, I’m not going to talk about my love life, I asked you here for a reason.”

 “So there is a love life?”

 “No! But I mean if there were...” The red color in her cheeks spread to her neck and shoulders. _I'm fifty, not fifteen, for crying out loud. Get it together._

 “Come with me, Harry.”

 He followed her to her bedroom, watching her pick something blue off her bed.

 “I-I kept it. Harry I’m not good with words, but I hope this might show you even though I wasn’t the best person, the best aunt...” _I loved you._

 Harry took the baby blue blanket from her.

 “I forgive everything.” Harry clutched the blanket to his chest.

 “You have a right not to...”

“I know, but I want to live a life of forgiveness.”

 As they hugged, her cell phone started to ring an obnoxious song.

 “That’s a Weird Sister song! That’s a wizard band. Aunt Petunia!”

 “Okay, okay… there is something between Xeno and me. It was his idea of a joke to change all ringtones to play some of his favorite songs.” Harry was unaware wizard songs could be ringtones on muggle phones, but he suspected Xenophilius put some sort of charm on it.

 “So he’s calling you right now?”

 “Oh! Right,” Petunia flushed deeper than before. “Harry do you mind?”

“Not at all,” Harry said, his thoughts on his uncle Vernon and how much the man would be rolling in the grave.

* * *

“Tabatha, that’s the train that will take you to Hogwarts,” Harry said, smiling down at his blonde haired niece. Petunia, Dudley, Wendy, Tabatha and Samuel were looking at everything with wide eyes.

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a witch!” Tabatha gushed. “Isn’t it exciting, Grandma?”

The bitter feeling was completely gone. “Yes, my dear,” Petunia said. “It really is exciting.”

“It’s not fair, I want to go!” Samuel complained. History had the chance of repeating itself if Sam never got a letter. Petunia wouldn’t let her grandson become bitter if it came to that.

Harry held onto Ginny’s hand. Her eyes were wide open too, as if seeing the Hogwarts Express for the first time.

“Harry, remember when I first saw you coming to take this train?” Ginny whispered. Those were her first words in months. “I was so enchanted by you.”

Harry pulled her into a hug and soon it was a group hug with all the Dursley’s. It did not feel awkward at all. It felt like home. Like family.

Things would be hard, but they would survive.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! There is some confusion on what color Harry's blanket is, so I went with the solid color of blue.


End file.
